Good Things for Kids: Parties

Putting a small stitch in our broken hearts since the demise of Martha Stewart Kids has been the digest-sized Good Things for Kids published periodically by Martha Stewart Living. The current issue is all about throwing great parties for kids and is chock full of ideas for games, decorations, favors and food. Many of the projects are recycled from past issues of MS Kids so if you rue the day you threw yours away or if children were just a twinkle in your eye back then, you're in luck.

The issue kicks off with some ideas for theme parties, but suggests you look to your own kid's interests and passions as inspiration. If you're inviting high-energy kids (is that redundant?), you might want to consider channeling their energy into an obstacle course with Olympics-style cookie medals as prizes. Are they obsessed with creepy, crawly insects? Your kids will bug out with chocolate parfaits designed to look like the layers of the earth and specimen boxes filled with rubber insects. These bug cupcakes look intricate, but they're surprisingly simple to pull off yourself.

And you don't have to be, well, Martha to conquer these projects. The party hat below is made from just paper and string and can be made by party guests themselves.

Some of the projects in Good Things for Kids can be found at the Martha Stewart website. The whole she-bang is available on newstands for $3.95.